Generally, valves are used in industries for various type of applications. For example, gate valves are used in many industries for controlling the flow of high pressure gases or fluids. Such applications include usage of ON or OFF, or partially ON gate valves. However, one major limitation of such valves is that improper actuation/operation of these valves can cause damage to the surrounding machinery as well as jeopardize the safety of human lives in the surrounding area. Additionally, in some cases there is a need to ensure that an unauthorized person cannot operate the valve in a critical machine or a special device.
With the ongoing advancement of technology in the field of valves, manufacturers have been developing devices/arrangements for securing/locking the valves so as to prevent improper or unauthorized actuation of the valve. One such locking device is a cable lockout device, which is used for locking the valve with the help of a flexible elongated cable. The cable lockout is adapted to immobilize the handles of the valve or switch by locking a cable tied with a valve handle and frame/body of the valve assembly, thereby preventing the valve or switch from being turned or actuated.
There are various locking arrangements employed in the industry. One such locking arrangement includes a cable and a cable locking mechanism, whereby a cable loop is formed around a member of the valve or switch that needs to be secured. The ends of the cable are secured by the cable lockout mechanism. A locking arrangement using this technique can provide a tight locking loop irrespective of the size of the valves. However, these arrangements require many moving parts or one or more internal keys for operating the locking mechanism which makes it difficult to use and handle.
The present disclosure is directed to overcome the above stated problems or other similar problems associated with the prior art.